If I Told You
by SassyRaydorGirl
Summary: Prompt: "This was not what she was expecting when she was invited to a picnic in the park."


" **This was not what she was expecting when she was invited to a picnic in the park."**

…

 **If I Told You**

 **Maggie/Jocelyn**

…

Maggie Radcliffe, Editor of The Echo was just finishing of the story she'd been working on, clicking print on her computer when she received the text message asking her to lunch. She smiled when she looked at the sender, pressing dial and waiting for the familiar voice on the other end.

"Maggie…."

"I just got your message, lunch…what's the occasion?"

"I just felt like it, I'm not particularly busy and I thought…"

"Perhaps I'm busy."

"Are you? We can always have lunch another time, I know I should have probably checked with you first I…"

"I'm just winding you up, lunch would be lovely."

"Good."

"Now?"

"Only if you're free?"

"I'm just printing off my story then I'm all yours, where will I meet you…the café?"

"Actually, the park."

"The park?"

"Yes."

"But you said lunch."

"I did, that lovely secluded area by the big oak tree, I'll meet you there."

Maggie had a strange expression on her face when she hung up the phone, Olly watching her closely.

"Maggie? You okay?"

"Mmmm, oh yes petal…listen I'm going out for some lunch, can you finish putting the layout for our story together?"

"Sure, anywhere nice." He asked as he watched Maggie get up from her desk, grabbing her jacket and handbag.

"Sorry?"

"Your lunch, are you going anywhere nice."

"Not especially, I won't be long."

"Take al the time you need."

Maggie just nodded her head as Olly watched her walk away, before returning to his work.

…

Jocelyn took out the checked tablecloth from the basket, placing it out neatly on the wooden table before bringing out the wine and placing two wine glasses down beside the bottle. She smiled to herself as she reached inside the basket and brought out some pasta salad and bread, then the blueberries and cream.

"So what's the occasion?"

Jocelyn looked behind her when she heard the familiar voice and saw Maggie standing behind her, a confused look on her face but the faint hint of a smile.

"Maggie…"

Maggie walked over to her, looking at the table then back to Jocelyn.

"When you said lunch, this wasn't quite what I was expecting?"

"You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that, did I…just a surprise."

"A nice surprise?"

"Jocelyn, what's going on…what's all of this in aid off?"

"Can't a friend invite another friend to lunch?"

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Sit down."

Maggie did as she was asked and took a seat on the bench, looking out at the river that ran through the park, the sun shining down on them.

"You picked a lovely day Jocelyn."

"I did, didn't I…wine."

"Mmmm please."

"I know you don't like red all that much so I brought some white instead."

"Thank you." Maggie said, taking the glass for Jocelyn's hand as the other woman took a seat beside her.

"Did you manage to get your story finished?"

"I did, Olly's just putting the finishing touches together for it."

"He looks up to you a lot."

"Well I should hope so, he's still very young and he has so much to learn but, in time…I think he'll make a damn good journalist."

"The next Maggie Radcliffe." Jocelyn smiled.

"I'm not that good darling."

"Don't underestimate yourself; you're very good at what you do."

"Do you think so?"

"I do, the people in this town, they trust you. You're not the kind of person who goes after a story just for the sake of it, you take other peoples feelings in to consideration, look at the Latimer family…you were wonderful with them."

"That's what I'm trying so bloody hard to drum in to Olly, he doesn't think about how others will feel when he goes after a story, I don't want that kind of journalist in this town, I want someone who cares…does that make me sound silly?"

"Not at all, there's nothing wrong with feeling for others and getting the story as well."

…

There were some children playing on the other side of the river, their father chasing after them as Jocelyn and Maggie watched from a far.

"Do you ever regret it?" Jocelyn asked.

"What's that then?"

"A family, a husband, children?"

"I'm not sure a husband was really ever in my future, I think we both know that lovelie, and as for children well, I never really found the one person I wanted to raise them with, well…I suppose not that I never found them but that…it just wasn't meant to happen with us….was it?"

Jocelyn looked up and saw the way Maggie was watching her, sadness in her eyes.

"Maggie I…"

"It's alright, really. I knew how hard it was for you back then, what people around here would think, your mother, and your colleagues. You were scared."

"I was a coward."

"Jocelyn…"

"No please, don't argue with me on that. I was a coward, I look back and I don't even recognise that woman. I think about it now and I wonder to myself why I was so bloody afraid to show the world how much I loved you…how much I still love you."

Maggie's smile faded, tears appearing in both their eyes as Jocelyn reached over, gripping Maggie's hand.

"There's never a day that goes by that I don't regret not fighting for you, I thought leaving this town would help but it didn't."

"Why did you come back?"

"I missed you, I've always missed you. I love you Maggie, I've never stopped. There was never anyone else, it was always you."

"Why did you invite me to lunch today?" Maggie asked softly.

"I don't want to hide anymore, I've wasted enough of my life without you and I don't want to live however long I have left without you."

"What do you mean however long you have left, are you ill?"

The worry in Maggie's voice touched Jocelyn before she shook her head.

"I'm not ill Maggie, I just mean this lifetime. None of us know hoe long we have left, not really and I think we've both wasted enough time, don't you?"

"I do…my god I really do but what's to say you won't back out of telling people again, you're still a barrister, your colleagues are still here."

"I don't care anymore and if mother was still alive, I still wouldn't care. I love you Maggie, which is why I invited you to this lunch today."

"I'm not sure I follow?"

Maggie watched as Jocelyn searched the picnic basket and brought out a small black box and placed it in front of Maggie, who looked up at her.

"Jocelyn what is this?"

"Why do people always ask that, open it and find out." She smiled.

Maggie shook her head before returning her attentions to the small box, picking up and opening it. The gasp that left her lips didn't go unnoticed by Jocelyn who watched her closely for her reaction.

"Jocelyn, what are you asking me here?"

"I think you know, I love you Maggie and I'm asking you to marry me, we can do that now you know."

Maggie began to laugh along with Jocelyn before her serious face returned.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, I mean you really want to be with me because I can't go through what happened before again, I don't have the strength for it, not now."

Jocelyn took the ring from the box and slid it on to Maggie's finger before her hand came up to the side of her face, caressing it gently before leaning in and kissing her. Maggie's eyes closed on contact, tears falling from her eyes as Jocelyn began to pull back.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry, it's just…if this had happened all those years ago, we could have had the things you mentioned earlier."

"I know, I know I'll never be able to make up for what we've missed, for what you've missed out on."

"You're here now, that's what matters."

"Are you sure?"

"You're all I need now; just promise me this is for good."

"I promise, I'm not going anywhere. I want to be with you….if I'd told you sooner then…"

"Sssssh don't, no more if's okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you too by the way, and yes….I will marry you."

Jocelyn smiled as she leaned back in and kissed Maggie, the other woman's arms coming around her to pull her closer.

…

Olly was just finishing off the layouts of the story when Maggie walked back in to the office, a smile on her face as she began to tidy up her desk. Olly leaned back in his chair as he watched her, watching as she hummed away to herself.

"Good lunch was it?"

"It was, one of the best I've ever had."

"Where did you go?"

"A picnic in the park….with Jocelyn."

"A picnic, how old school. Did you have fun?"

"Why wouldn't I, the sun was shining, the food was spectacular and she asked me to marry her."

"Well that's….hang on, she did what?"

"You heard me petal."

"Jocelyn Knight asked you to marry her?"

"She did."

"And…what did you say?"

"Well what do you think I said….yes of course?"

Maggie watched the stunned look on his face before laughing.

"Let's get this story out shall we petal."

Olly just nodded as Maggie got back to business, her heart finally complete.

…

-Fin


End file.
